Cornell University will celebrate its 138th Commencement Weekend Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28. On Saturday at noon, Martin Luther King III will give the Senior Convocation Address, and on Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m., Cornell President Hunter Rawlings will confer degrees on approximately 6,000 graduates as he presides over the final commencement ceremony of his presidency. Both events will be held at the university's Schoellkopf Stadium.

King will present Saturday's Senior Convocation Address to graduates, their families and guests and to members of the Cornell community. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. King is the second oldest child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. A human rights advocate, community activist and political leader, he has been involved in policy initiatives to maintain fair and equitable treatment of people at home and abroad. The May 27 ceremony also will feature an address by Cornell Senior Class President Michael Zuckerman, as well as the presentation of a gift to the university from the senior class.

Other Commencement Weekend events include:

Saturday, May 27:

Sunday, May 28:

Severe Weather Plan: In the event that severe weather is expected, the May 28 ceremony in Schoellkopf Stadium will be delayed -- or two abbreviated indoor ceremonies will be held in Barton Hall. The details will be announced on local radio and television stations starting at 8 a.m. on the day of Commencement. If Commencement is held indoors, there will be two programs:

At 10:30 a.m., degrees will be conferred on graduates from the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences and of Arts and Sciences, Johnson Graduate School of Management, College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Law School.

At 1 p.m., degrees will be conferred on graduates from the Colleges of Architecture, Art and Planning and of Engineering; the Graduate School; the School of Hotel Administration; the College of Human Ecology; and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.